1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to golf swing training devices and, more particularly, to swing training apparatus of the type in which a tethered ball rotates about a horizontal axis when the ball is struck by a golf club head.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is a commonly accepted principle by golf professionals and other golf experts that during a segment of a proper golf swing the club head travels through a straight path just prior to, during and just after striking the golf ball. The straight path through which the club head moves when hitting the ball should be in alignment with the target at which the golfer is hitting the ball. Thus, if the club head is moving through this straight path, with the club face square to the ball, the golf ball will not hook or slice but, rather, will travel in a straight line in alignment with the straight path of movement of the club head as it is hitting the ball.
The art is crowded with numerous swing training devices specifically designed to enable a golfer to practice hitting a ball. Some of these devices include a tethered ball which rotates about a horizontal axis when the ball is struck by the golf club head. This type of device can be seen in the U.S. patent to Moffatt, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,113,257 and 2,929,632. Similar type golf swing training devices are disclosed in the U.S. patents to Holley, U.S. Pat No. 3,194,557 and Schafer, U.S. Pat. No. 3,827,696.
While the golf swing training devices in the related art are suitable to enable a golfer to practice hitting a golf ball in a confined area, without having to retrieve the ball once hit, none of these devices are structured to train a golfer to swing the club head through a straight path segment just prior to, during and just after striking the golf ball.